Skate shoe



Oct. 19, 1937. J. FAssETT 2,096,677

l SKATE SHOE Filed Feb. ze, 1936 lig-- INVENTOR LoRENz FAssE-rT,

Patented Oct. 19, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFlcE f Joseph T. Wood Co., tion of Massachusetts Ware, Mass., a corpora- Application February 26, 1936, Serial No.7(i5,750

3 Claims.

This invention relates to ankle braces for skating and other types of shoes and has for its object to provide a comfortable, wide, and effective ankle brace that is adapted to be conveniently tightened.

Another object is to provide an ankle brace on a shoe which is capable of being tightened simultaneously with the shoe to save time and effort in applying the same.

Another object is to provide a more comfortable type of brace.

Fig. 1 shows a shoe embodying this invention.

Fig.'2 is a section on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1.

Some usual form of shoe I such as is used for skating is provided with customary lacings I I which are passed through the usual eyelets I2 of the shoe. Instead of the strap type ankle brace heretofore commonly used, this invention contemplates the provision of an ankle'brace which includes a side piece I3 on each side of the shoe and laterally spaced from the shoe eyelets as indicated. Each side piece comprises a portion or patch I4 which is sewed to the shoe at the ankle portion by the stitches indicated, and a flap I5 which contains a plurality of eyelets I6. The side pieces I3 are preferably of flexible leather or other material used in the construction of the shoe. It will be noted the eyelets Iliof the brace pieces I3 are arranged substantially in alignment with some of the eyelets of the shoe but spaced rearwardly and remotely therefrom. Inside of the shoe are stitched reinforcing strips I'I of tape or canvas. The stitches which hold the side pieces also preferably pass through these inner strips so as to afford additional reinforcement.

The shoe lace can then be threaded through the eyelets of both the shoe and the flap I5 so that the shoe and the ankle brace may be simultaneously tightened.

Among the advantages of this invention may be mentioned the fact that the ankle brace is wide and more comfortable than the usual form of strap with a buckle. The provision of the wide ankle brace prevents it cutting into the foot and becoming uncomfortable as would the comparatively narrow strap. While (for coinvenience the shoe lace is also used as the lace ortension means for the ankle brace, nevertheless it will be understood that if desired a separate lace or other securing means may be used to connect each of the side pieces I3, in which latter case the shoe will have to be laced separately and then the ankle brace tightened subsequently.

The greater width of the ankle brace provides i u.

greater support for the ankle, yet the ankle brace is not separate from the shoe. The shoe and ankle brace t smoothly about the foot providing a neat appearance. Due to the flaps I5 being spaced laterally from the shoe eyelets, it will be understood that the shoe is thus adapted to fit various types of feet. This wider range of adjustment is an important feature for the shoe independent of the ankle brace feature. The side pieces I3 are stitched all around the edge giving greater strength than is possessed by the Y narrow strapwhich has to be stitched crosswse and is weakened by the needle perforations. There is no buckle necessary to inconvenience the wearer. When the ankle brace is laced separately from the shoe it may be drawn tighter than is the shoe lacing. Y It willv be noted the strips I1 and the stitching which secures these strips to the shoe are directed rearwardly so that the stress applied to the shoe from this ankle brace passes under the heel as vis common with ankle brace supporting straps on skating shoes, and this device should not be confused with arch supporting devices which transmit the stress to the arch rather than to the heel.

I claim: Y 1. A shoe having an upper portion, eyelets in the front of said upper portion for receiving fastening means, a sole, and an ankle support, said support including a patch of leather at each side of the upper portion, each patch having its major portion positioned directly over the ankle bone portion of the shoe and secured all around its edgeby a row of stitching, the remainder ol.' said patch being loose to form a flap, said flap being positioned forwardly of said major portion and having eyelets spaced rearwardly of and in substantial alignment with the front eyelets and an elongated inclined strip of reinforcing relatively inelastic material secured to the upper portion and extending on the inside thereof from each ankle patch rearwardly and downwardly .to a point in the rear part of the shoe whereby the tightening effect caused by the'fastening means is transmitted downwardly and rearwardly along the ankle region of the upper portion, said strips acting to resist the stress of the fastening means.

2. A shoe having an upperportion, an instep portion, eyelets in the front of said upper and instep portions for receiving fastening means and an ankle support, said support including a patch of leather substantially triangular in shape positioned over the ankle bone portion of the shoe at each side of the upper portion, the major portion of said patch being secured to the upper portion by a row of stitching at its rear edge leaving a loose flap portion, said flap portion having spaced eyelets positioned rearwardly and downwardly of the eyelets in the instep portion for receiving said fastening means and anelongated inclined strip of reinforcing canvas secured to the upper portion and extending on the inside of said upper portion from each ankle patch rearwardly and downwardly in substantial alignment with said eyelets whereby the tightening effect is transmitted diagonally downwardly and rearwardly along the ankle region of the upper portion, said strips acting to resist the stress of the fastening means.

3. A skate shoe having a roW of eyelets along each front edge of the opening for lacing up the front and a patch stitched to each side of the shoe adjacent and over the ankle bone p0rtion, each patch being eyeletted along the edge adjacent the rst mentioned eyelets and being of an area substantially the same as the ankle bone area and being stitched to the side of the shoe along a line parallel to its eyelets but spaced away from the said eyelets so as to leave an eyeletted flap which is free to be bent up from the shoe, said patches each being also stitched around its rear edges to the side of the shoe over the ankle bone portion, each ilap being relatively narrow longitudinally of the shoe eyelets and being eyeletted laterally and rearwardly of the adjacent eyelets in the front edges of the shoe, the edge of the patch remote from the eyeletted edge being tapered to substantially a point directed toward the rear of the heel portion of the sole whereby to direct the stress at a position at the rear portion of the sole of the shoe, and a lacing for applying tension from one patch to the other patch over the instep and without applying any substantial added tension 20 around the leg above the ankle.

LORENZO J. FASSE'II. 

